Golf club carrier



Feb. 1, 1966 E. K. THONEN GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed Feb. 5, 1964 INVENTOR. ilk 00D K BY Fitter neg United States Patent 3,232,503 GGLF CLUB CARRIER Elwood K. Thonen, 1908 Valley Road, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Filed Feb. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 342,732 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) This invention relates to a device for carrying golf clubs.

Customarily, golf clubs have been carried in bags of well known type. Such bags are cumbersome and heavy to carry, especially when filled with a full load of up to fourteen clubs. For many golfers, the modern economy prohibits the use of caddies, golf carts, or other means to carry a requisite number of clubs. In the past, lightweight, portable devices have been provided for carrying clubs, but these have been generally unsatisfactory for reasons that only a limited number of clubs could be carried, or that there was no way to support the device and clubs oii the ground when not being carried, or that the clubs had to be individually supported on spring clips which tended to scratch the club shafts, or that the clubs were otherwise diihcult to insert and remove with respect to the device.

One object of the present invention is to provide a simple to operate, light-weight, portable, golf-club carrier, by which any number of clubs, up to the standard limit of fourteen clubs, may be easily carried by the average male or female golfer.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a golf club carrier of the character described which supports the clubs at a convenient level above ground for selection of clubs with relatively little bending eifor-t.

Another object of of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having improved cradling means which is self-operating from and toward an open condition by manual support of the device and release thereof, respectively whereby free removal and insertion of the clubs in vertical direction is made possible.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved means for facilitating self-opening movement of the device upon supporting the same on the ground.

These and other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following brief description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a golf carrying device embodying the features of the invention, in open condition of use as when supported on the ground.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device in closed condition of use as when carried by a golfer.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary and view of the upper portion of the closed device, as viewed from either end in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a similar end view of the device in open condition, as viewed from either end of FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates an elongated rigid bar, on opposite ends of which tong-like units 11, 11 may be relatively pivotally mounted. Each unit 11 may comprise crossed elements 12 and 13 of rigid metal such as aluminum rod, formed above the pivotal axis at 14, in known manner, to provide oppositely outwardly arched or arcuate jaw portions 15, 15, the inner surfaces of which together define a generally ovate space 16 of substantial size, and having oppositely inturned ends a, 15a terminating in laterally spaced apart relationship, to provide an access opening 17 for purposes to be described later. Elongated extents l8 and 19 of the elements 12 and 13, respectively, in said open position of the carrier extend generally in the plane of the unit at a substantial angle to each other so that the extents 18 and 19 of both units serve as leg 3,232,503 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 means for supporting the longitudinally spaced jaw portions 15 substantially elevated above the ground. The leg means may be reinforced by atfix-ing rigid cross-bars 20 and 21 between the leg portions 18, 18 and 19, 19, respectively. To facilitate automatic opening of the tong-like units in a manner to be described, the leg portions 18, 18 may be slightly longer than the leg portions 19, 19 (see FIGURE 2). The bracing support at the leg means is enhanced by angling the opposite end leg portions 18 and 19 longitudinally outwardly from points below the pivotal axis.

Handle means 22 may be provided for carrying 0r transporting the device. To this end, the jaw portions .15, 15 of each unit 11 may have separate flexible loop members 25, 25 suitably anchored to the inner surface portions of the jaws, at points 27 slightly below the major axis of the oval space 16. These loop portions, which may be of leather or other flexible, non-abrasive strip material, are oppositely looped inwardly and upwardly between the opposed jaws and are connected together, as by means of ad'hesively taped portions 28, 28, to provide a relatively straight central portion 29, adapted to extend upwardly between the inturned ends 15:: of the jaws. For lifting and transporting the carrier, a rigid, elongated handle 39 may be alfixed at opposite ends in looped upper ends 32 of the central portions 29 of the two ton like units. That is, by manually lifiting the device by the handle 39, the opposite leg means of the device are self-operatively brought together by gravity to close the pairs of jaws 15 toward contact or close proximity of the opposed end portions 15a, whereby the spaces defined by the jaws and the loops are substantially reduced in size. The handle 30 may be made of durable wood and covered with strip leather or plastic tape. At least the poriton of the jaws above the points 27 may he likewise taped to obviate scratching the sha fits of clubs cradled between the aligned loop members, in a manner to be described later.

For limiting pivotal movement of the tong-like units 11, the crossed elements 18 and 19 thereof may have cornplementally notched portions 34 therein providing stop shoulders 35 and 36 for stop engagement of corresponding portions of the respective elements in the open and closed positions of the crossed elements, respectively.

The tong-like units may be locked together, as for storage of the device in an automobile trunk, with or Without golf clubs cradled between the closed jaws as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4. To this end, an S-hook 37 may be pivoted on cross bar 20, as shown in FIGURE 1 for hooked engagement with cross-bar 21, as shown in FIG- URE 2.

In use of the improved device by a golfer, it is positioned on the ground or other supporting surtace, in open condition as shown in FIGURE 1, in which the pairs of jaws 15 of the spaced tong-like units 11 will be open for passage of golf clubs through the openings 17 between the opposed jaws 15a, toward or from cradling support of the clubs between longitudinally aligned leather loop portions 25, as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIGURES l and 4. For this purpose, the handle 30 is easily deflected to one side or the other, if necessary. When the clubs are in position, as described, the device is transportable simply by grasping the handle 30 to elevate the device from the ground to a normal carrying position. The initial upward pull on the handle applies a foreshortening pull to the respective pairs of loop portions 25, tending to draw the pairs of jaws 15 together from the open condition of FIGURES 1 and 4 to the closed condition of FIGURES 2 and 3, this closing movement being facilitated by the tendency of the leg means to be gravitationally urged together by reason of the heavier preponderance weight below the pivotal axis. In the closed position best illustrated in FIGURE 3, the weight of clubs cradled in the longitudinally aligned loop portions 25 at both sides tends to hold the pairs of jaws 15 and associated parts in closed condition. Conversely, when a golf club is'required to be extracted, the device is lowered by handle 30 until the "longerleg members 18 first touch the ground, and then allowing the loop portions to come to restupon the lower portions of the jaws, whereby the weight of the clubs transmitted to said lower portions will be self-operating to urge thel'eg means pivotally apart to the'fully open positions showninFIGURES l and 4.

Modifications of'the' invention may be resorted to without depianting'fromathe spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims.

What'is claimed is:

1. A golf club carrier comprising: longitudinally spaced pairs of jaws pivotally mounted and having connectormeans by which the jaws of the respective pairs are relatively pivotab'le about a longitudinal axis between open and closed positions, in which oppositely inturned upper'ends of the'pairs of jaws are'spa'ced'apart to define access openings and are relatively close together to close the openings, respectively; separate flexible l'oop members anchored to the jaws of each pair thereof and oppositely looped inwardly and upwardly between the jaws and connected centrally of the opposed jaws; and handle means supportingly connected between the centrally connected portions of the respective flexible loop members; whereby in the open position of the jaws golf clubs are receivable through said jaw openings at either side of the'handle means toward or from cradling-support'of the clubs across respective longitudinallyrspaccd loop members.

2. A golf club carrier as set forth in claim 1, said jaws of the pairs thereof being oppositely arched laterally outwardly to define an open space of substantial size between the jaws in closed position thereof, saidlloop members being anchoredto the jaws at points intermediate said axis and the respective said inturned upper ends, whereby when the carrier is supported by said h'andl'e said oppositely looped portions tend'to draw opposite pairs of jaws toward closed position thereof.

:3. A golf club carrier as in claim 2;sa-id jaws having rigidlyconnected leg means extending below said longitudinal axis for supporting the jaw means in spaced relation above a supporting surface.

4. A golf club carrier as in claim 3, said leg means being'angularly disposedlaterally of said axis in the open position of the jaws, and being closely adjacent in the closed position of the jaws. I

5; A golf club carrier as in' clainr 4, including means for releasably locking said jaws in closed position.

6. A .golf club carrier as in claim 5, including stop ane ansfor limiting openingmovement of said jaws beyond given open positions thereof. 7

7. A golf club :carrier as in claim 6, the portions 0f said jaws intermediate said anchoring points and the upper ends of the jaws having thereon a covering of non-abrasive material.

8. A golf club carrier as set forth in claim 1, said jaws of the pairs thereof being oppositely arched laterally outwardly to define an open space of substantial size between the jaws in closed position thereof, said loop membersbe-ing anchored to the jaws at points interme diate said axis and the respective said inturneld upper ends, whereby when the carrier is supported by said handle said oppositely looped portions tend to draw opposite pairs of jaws toward'closed p osition thereof; said loop members in the open position of the respective pairs of jaws being supported by the lower portions 'of the jaws, whereby the weight of golf clubs-cradled on' the loop members tends to retain the jawsopen.

9. A golf club carrier as set forth in claim 1, said jaws of the pairs thereof being oppo-sitely arched laterally outwardily to define an open space of substantial site between the jaws in closed position thereof, said loop members being anchored to the jaws at points intermediate said axis and the respective said inturned upper ends, whereby when the carrier is supported by said handle said oppositely looped portions tend to draw opposite pairs of jaws toward closed position thereof, the portions of said jaws intermediate said anohoringpoi'nts and the upper ends of the jaws having thereon a covering of non-abrasive material.

10. A golf club carriercon'ipriising: an elongated rigid element; longitudinally spaced pairs of jaws pivotal-1y mounted on said element and having connector means by which the jaws of the respective pairs are relatively pivotable in unison between open and closed positions; said jaws having rigidly connected leg means extending below said longitudinal axis for supporting the jaw means in spaced relation above a supporting surface; handle means; and flexible loop means between said handle means and opposite said jaws of the respective pairs,'tending to draw the opposite jaws toward closed position with respect to each other when the carrieri's suppoi te'd only by the handle means through said loop means; said'loop means in the closed position of the jaws forming portions for supporting reception of golf clubs therein and in the open position of the jaws providing for free passage of the clubs inwardly and outwardly between the jaws; said leg means being angularly disposedjlaterally of said axis in the open position of the jaws, and being closely adjacent in' the closed positionof the jaws.

References Cited' b'y the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HUGO O. SCHULZ, PrimdryExamiher, 

1. A GOLF CLUB CARRIER COMPRISING: LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PAIRS OF JAWS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AND HAVING CONNECTOR MEANS BY WHICH THE JAWS OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS ARE RELATIVELY PIVOTABLE ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, IN WHICH OPPOSITELY INTURNED UPPER ENDS OF THE PAIRS OF JAWS ARE SPACED APART TO DEFINE ACCESS OPENINGS AND ARE RELATIVELY CLOSE TOGETHER TO CLOSE THE OPENINGS, RESPECTIVELY; SEPARATE FLEXIBLE LOOP MEMBERS ANCHORED TO THE JAWS OF EACH PAIRS THEREOF AND OPPOSITELY LOOPED INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY BETWEEN THE JAWS AND CONNECTED CENTRALLY OF THE OPPOSED JAWS; AND HANDLE MEANS SUPPORTINGLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE CENTRALLY CONNECTED PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE FLEXIBLE LOOP MEMBERS; WHEREBY IN THE OPEN POSITION OF THE JAWS GOLF CLUBS ARE RECEIVABLE THROUGH SAID JAW OPENINGS AT EITHER SIDE OF THE HANDLE MEANS TOWARD OR FROM CRADLING SUPPORT OF THE CLUBS ACROSS RESPECTIVE LONGITUDINALLY SPACED LOOP MEMBERS. 